The 80s gave us A Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation. These movies show the reality of the holidays. There's a major award, and a turkey turned to jerky, and chinese duck, and a S.W.A.T team, and cursing.The magic of the holiday is left to the viewer.

And then came Elf. Elf manages to combine a child's innocent joy of the holiday with the cynical real world version. And if it doesn't turn you from scrooge to santa, then you are dead inside.

Oh, and I had a very nice, though short, run today. And we put the tree up.

Good running,
Doug

P.S. Ali correctly guessed yesterday's gift tag riddle... it was an iPod Touch... often called an iTouch... get it?... Index Finger... I touch. Yeah, well it was a big hit last Christmas. Ok, a round of applause for Ali...